This invention relates to a treatment patch electrode for applying electrical impulses to a surface area of a living body for treating a variety of clinical conditions.
Our earlier GB Patent No. 2 414 407 discloses a handheld treatment device including an electrode arrangement which makes physical contact with the skin for treatment purposes. A repeatedly generated AC waveform is supplied to the electrodes for electro-stimulation of the surface of the skin, and changes in the skin impedance are monitored for evaluating and controlling treatment.
According to this patent, a handheld treatment device for applying electrical impulses to a living body through the skin, for treating a variety of clinical conditions, comprises: a pair of electrodes for contact with the skin; a waveform generator for repeatedly generating an AC waveform for applying electrical impulses through the electrodes to the skin; a detector for detecting changes in the skin impedance and for generating output signals representing the skin impedance; means responsive to the output signals from the detector for monitoring the responsivity of the skin; and indicator means for generating a first indication when a predetermined level of responsivity is reached and a second indication when a pre-determined treatment has been administered. The disclosure of this patent is incorporated herein by reference.
The handheld treatment device of GB Patent No. 2 414 407 has proved extremely effective in clinical trials for treating a wide variety of clinical conditions, including the treatment of skin disorders, the treatment of broken bones, and the treatment of various medical disorders and diseases. However, there are certain conditions where treatment using the device may be hindered or impeded by the presence of dressings, body support elements or layers, or medical apparatus, for example where the clinical condition being treated includes a wound or damaged skin tissue concealed under a dressing or a broken limb supported in a plaster of paris cast.